Antislipping footgear



A. DE -Nrrzlo ANTISLIPRING FOOT'GEAR Filed March '19,` .1952

A NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 23, V1952 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE H "12,611,194 i ANTISLIPPING FoofrGEAn Anuiny ne Num, Plaineeid, N. J. Application March 19, 1952, serial No. 277,463

- 6 Claims.

This invention relates to footgear and is more particularly directed `to an overshoedesigned specially for use during inclement weatherconditions. The device of theinvention-may be worn over the conventional shoe or directly'on the foot of the wearer and is provided with an outer face of anti-slipping characteristics forcontact with the sidewalk or other surfaces tobe traversed. The overshoe of this invention is constructed to counteract the tendency to slip and slide at various angles'and positions by the provision of traction-contacting parts which materially increase the degree of purchase attainable in walking on slippery surfaces and reduce the danger of injury to body and limb encountered during periods of unfavorable weather conditions.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which a practical embodiment is illustrated in the drawings. `It will be apparent, from a'consideration of said drawings and the following description, thatthe invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purviewv of the instant invention. v I

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of an ice overshoe embodying the invention, shown partly fragmentarily,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the toe portion thereof,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of metal plate which may be used in carrying out my invention,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another form of plate member which may be used in carrying out my invention, and

Fig. 7 is a, perspective view of a further form thereof.

As shown in the drawings, the device of my invention comprises a footgear having a flexible upper body portion I0 of any desired or convenient outline, with any desired or convenient means to engage the wearers foot or shoe, and a sole portion II secured thereto and dening therewith the general outline of the foot. The portion II has connected ball and heel sections I2, I3, and is formed of a, relatively thick layer I4 (Cl. Sli-59) 2 l of rubber or other flexible material, on'the outer face I5 of which rows of; pointed flexible teeth I6, I6 project. Said teeth are arranged incontiguous groups I 'I, I 8, I9, of parallel rows o f teeth, the groups being arranged in non-parallel relation to each' other to thereby present rows ofteeth arrangedin parallel rows disposedat various angles to the longitudinal axis of the overshoe 9, to counteractany tendency to slide at angles rto saidaxis. y I

Metallic platesy 20, 20', 20, are'positioned in said sole portion II of the overshoe 9 at random points and in random directions to thus provide alternate rigid metallic plates and rows of flexible teeth, to further counteract any tendency to slide. The teethl I5), I6 are, as shown in Fig. 5, of uneven height toenhance the Vcontact effect thereof and to provide constant vgripping surfaces as they are worn down in use. y l

The metallic plates such as v2i), 20T., are preferably of generally planar outline so asto generally conform to the plane of the layer of rubber I4 andare provided withmeans such as the end portions 2I (Fig. 4) adapted vto be positioned through the rubber layer I4 and clinched'thereover or passed through thesupplementary layers of material, such as 22, 23,'Which might beleather or the like, and whichpmight be secured to the layer of rubber I4 in the fabrication of the overshoe of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 6, the plate therein numbered 20" may be provided with apertures 24 through which screws or the like may be passed to secure the plate 20" to the layer I4 and/or to the layers 22, 23. or, if desired, the plate 20" may be provided with a projection such as 25 to be passed through the layer Id and upset thereover or otherwise secured thereto. The exposed surfaces of the plates are preferably-serrated, as indicated generally at 26 in Fig. 4. Such upper surface may be made of sinuous outline. as shown in Fig. 5, to further enhance the gripping effect.

The metallic plates 20, 2li', 2li, are preferably secured to the layer of rubber I4 in generally parallel planar relation thereto but preferably inwardly of the apices of said rows of teeth so that the plates will be exposed only upon depressing the shoe sufliciently to compress the layer of rubber I4 or flex the same for exposure of said plates. Or, if desired, the plates 20, 2D', 20, may be secured to the layer I4 to locate their exposed faces approximately in line with the apices of the teeth I6, I6'.

Marginal plates, as indicated at 3D, 30', 3d, may be secured to the layer I4. said plates being 3 preferably longitudinally curved to conform to the marginal outline of the layer I4, and being of L-shaped transverse cross-section so as to define portions overlying the layer I4 and portions disposed upwardly along the margins of the overshoe of the present invention. The marginal plates are preferably serrated at their outer surfaces as shown so as to provide for increased purchase along the marginal side and bottom edges of the overshoe, as above described. The overshoe 9 of this invention provides at the ball portion l2 thereof the continuous flexible surface defined by the teeth I6, IS' arranged in" parallel rows, so as to provide a relatively smooth contact with the surface being traversed; at the same time the marginal plates and the metallicA plates 20, 20', 20, provide a rougher grippingv surface when required, as, for example, in, traversing ice or snow or other slippery surfaces. The

user need simply bear down more heavily upon the overshoe or flex the same slightly to bring into play theV various .metallic plates. If desired, said metallic plates inight, instead of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, be disposed so that the outer faces thereof will be parallel with those of the teeth lr6, |61', or, if desired,'mightfproject slightly therebeyond. However, the form shown in Fig. 5 is believed to be a desirable form and might be used to carry out the invention, Some or all of the plates may be transversely sinuous as shown at 3|. 32 of plate 26' of Fig. 7,instead of vertically sinuous as in Fig. 4, if desired.

Having thus describedv my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent is: A 1

l. An anti-slipping overshoe comprising a-fiex ible upper body portion anda generally fiat sole portion secured theretoand defining therewith the general contour of a foot, adapted to be positioned on a foot or shoe to provideY purchase for Walking on slippery surfaces, said sole'portion having connected ball and heel sections, formed of relatively thick layer of flexible material, said layer having an outer face, roWs'of pointed ilexible teeth on and projecting from said face, said rows of flexible teeth being/arranged inv contiguous Vgroups of parallel rows, which 'groups are disposed in non-parallel relation to 'each' 'other 'to present parallel rows of teeth disposed at variousangles to the longitudinal axis of the overshoe.. to counteract any tendency to slide at angles to 2. In anoverrshoe as set forth in claim 1, each.

of said rows `of`pointed flexible teeth comprising. teeth of uneven height to enhance the contact ef fect thereof and to provide constant gripping sur-1 faces as they are worn down in use.

3.. In an overshoe as set forth in claim 1, said'.

metallic plates being secured to said layer of rubber in generally parallel planar relation there to but {inwardly-of the apices of said rows of teeth, so that the metallic plates will be ex posed only upon depressing the shoe suiciently to compress the layer of rubber or to flex the same for' exposure of said plates.

4; In an. overshoeas set forth iny claim'l, said metallic plateshaving outer faces-serrated and of uneven Vcontour lto enhance ltheir gripping effect.A i Y,

V5.11'1 anpoversho'e.- as, set forth in claim 1, metallic plates marginally secured to said overshoe and havlngspcrtions extendingv along the margin thereof.

6. In an overshoe as set forth in claim 1, said metallic plates having sinuous, serrated portions.

ANTHONY DE m'rzro.

REFERENCES CITED The following-references are of record in the le of'vthis patent.: Y

' UNITED'STATES lFATENTS umber 'Name Date 1,559,450 Oakley 0612.27, 1925 1,988,184 Carrier Jan. 22, 1935 2,424,463 I-'Iogg July 22, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country vlllate 138,229 Great Britain Feb. v5, 1920 Great KBritain 1-- Mar.- 25, 1920 

